


Lacquered

by EchoesOfOmens



Series: Detroit: Become Human ~ The One Shots! [3]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Before Deviancy, Before The Storm, But it's for the PLOT OKAY, Canon Compliant, Carl is a meddlesome old man but it's a great ride, Carl is the greatest wingman ever, Cussing, Eh that's a lie, F/M, Fluff and Smut, I mean it works out but it be tweaked, I'm Going to Hell, I'm Not Ashamed, I'm Sorry, Leads into the plot of the Good Ending Arc, Maybe more universe alterations than alternate universe, More tags coming once its done, Mostly Canon Compliant, Ooof feel free to hate me, Profanity, Shameless Smut, Sorry Not Sorry, The Author Regrets Nothing, The ending is going to be really mean, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, Though you'll probably hate me for the way I take it, Wingman Carl, Yeah this is not a happy ending, everything works out in the end, kinda sorta not really - Freeform, lol who am i kidding, oops sorry, smut with a side of plot, so AU kinda, sort of canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-29 19:36:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15080231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EchoesOfOmens/pseuds/EchoesOfOmens
Summary: Markus struggled with deviancy long before he pushed Leo.





	1. A Small Confession

**Author's Note:**

> So this isn't that great but okay whatever, hope you enjoy the weirdness that was my 2am spew-writing

It was an uncharacteristically warm fall, that year. The frost had yet to come and thus the trees were not fully bare. You sat in Carl Manfred's backyard, enjoying the crisp air and the birdsong. It was peaceful, and you thrived in the early-morning silence. You swept your brush across the canvas, attempting to mimic Carl's behemoth oak and the sway of its branches. You were _not_ a painter by trade, but Carl had encouraged you to seek out other mediums recently. He had laughed when you sketched Markus in little under half an hour, an almost perfect replica of your favorite android. 

 _"You need to branch out,"_ Carl had playfully admonished. _"You've already mastered **this** method. Don't stagnate, seek another." _

You loved the old man, even though your family called you crazy. He was much kinder and more attentive than your own grandparents, so why shouldn't you enjoy his company? They suspected Carl was a man of lewd intentions, most likely. That couldn't have been farther than the truth. If anything, Carl was intent on setting you up with _Markus_... 

Markus. The android that had unintentionally stolen your heart, possibly from the beginning. Markus always seemed to arrive in the nick of time, as though he could read your mind. Whenever you tripped over your own feet, he caught you; if you forgot something in the studio, he opened the front door to give it to you. Perhaps there was more to him than there seemed...

You shook yourself out of your thoughts. Your paintbrush slipped from your fingers and you let out an exasperated grunt. 

 

"Why me?" you muttered. You were such a klutz lately. It was odd, considering you usually only got flustered when Markus was nearby--

 _Oh._ As you reached for your brush, dark fingers grazed your own. Markus chuckled softly behind you and placed his hand on the small of your back as he straightened to his full height.

 

"Good morning, Y/N. Seems awfully early for you to be up." His eyes twinkled. Markus placed the brush back on your easel, his gaze never leaving your face. 

 

"I just wanted to relax a little. Life at home isn't all sunshine and rainbows." Your eyes became unfocused and you worried your lip, mind flashing back to that morning. 

Markus pulled your attention back to the present as he offered you his hand. 

 

"Are you hungry? I can make you some breakfast."

It never ceased to amaze you how easily he could make your heart melt. Just a simple smirk, a flash of his jade eyes, and your heart would beat against your chest like a caged bird. You took his hand, meeting his smile with one of your own. 

 

"That sounds great, Markus. Thank you." 

As he led you inside, you had to wonder if he was really as emotionless as CyberLife tried to project.

You watched him create your favorite breakfast in the world: fried eggs and french toast. The way Markus moved so effortlessly was one of the things that made you catch your breath. You often would see him helping Carl and wonder what _else_ those hands were capable of...

You blinked, horrified that you had been caught staring. Markus only smiled and set your plate down in front of you. 

 

"Here. Enjoy. I should wake up Carl." He--oh my god, he _winked_ at you. He knew. He _had_ to know that you had an absurd crush on him. _Oh no_. You forced yourself to focus on your eggs and toast, and groaned aloud when you took your first bite. 

 

"Oh-- _Markus_. This is fantastic." You refrained from making more sex noises, barely.

He laughed from the second story balcony, flinging open the doors to Carl's room. Yeah. There was no way he didn't know how you felt. Embarrassed, but not willing to leave the best fucking breakfast you'd ever tasted, you hunkered down over your plate and waited for the man you often wished was your biological grandfather. 

 

"Hey, good morning, kiddo! What a nice surprise." Carl moved to the table to be across from you and Markus left to make more food. The old man wiggled his eyebrows expectantly.

 

 _"What?"_   You nearly choked on your half-chewed toast. Did _everyone_ in this house know something you didn't?

 

"Nothing." Carl shrugged. His expression was far too devious for it to _actually_ be nothing. "Markus is a lifesaver, isn't he? _Best_ food I've ever tasted." He regarded you closely for a moment, as though waiting for... something.

You nodded, suspicious. What did Carl have planned?

You found out not long after you had cleaned your plate. 

 

"Gee, Markus--Wouldn't you agree that Y/N looks lovely in this light?" Carl asked. You froze, glaring daggers at your mentor.

 

"Markus, don't answer that," you hissed. Your ears were turning red and your pulse raced.

Confliction hovered over Markus' face before he spoke, his LED flickering red to yellow and back again.

 

"Well... Yes, Carl. But, you already know that, don't you?" Markus frowned a little and busied himself with the dishes. You blinked, struggling to confirm what you had just heard was not just your imagination. Judging from the way Carl was grinning like a little shit, you were very much awake. Markus had indeed just admitted he thought you were hot.

 

 

 


	2. Midnight Needs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader struggles with asking for help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear it's not as dirty as it sounds... yet.

It had been a week since Markus had informed you of his feelings. You shuddered against the cool air, questioning your actions. You should turn back. Angus would be furious if he found out you'd _actually_ gone. Despite your fear, you gritted your teeth and forced your feet to continue. Carl said his door was always open. You hoped he'd meant it.

You stood on Carl's doormat, wishing Markus was around. You pulled your hood closer around your face and raised your fist hesitantly.  _Were you really going to do this?_

Markus opened the door, not giving you time to feel the depths of your regret. His smile dropped and he honed in on the fresh bruise over your eye. Without a word, he pulled you inside and locked the door behind you.

He led you through the foyer and into the kitchen, where you sat on the counter and watched him begin his work. He pulled out a bag of ice from the freezer and wrapped it in a dishtowel before giving it to you. His green eyes burned with something unspoken.

 

"Angus, again." Markus confirmed. His jaw worked when you nodded. "Bastard." 

Markus' fists clenched and loosened, as though he didn't know what to do with himself. He closed the distance, inspecting you more closely. Angus was _really_ angry, this time. He had hurt you more than he usually did. 

 

"What happened?" Markus wasn't sure he wanted to know, but he had to. The skin around your right eye was shiny and swollen a dark purplish red. 

 

"Angus accused me of cheating. I said I wasn't, he didn't believe me. He hit me a few times. I told him I was going to leave. He didn't believe me _then_ , either." You snorted. "His mistake."

Markus' attention flickered over your face. He knew you were secretly hurting, you had really felt deeply for Angus. Even though he was a red-headed piece of shit, you had been with him since eighth grade. It was something that took a _lot_ of courage to run away from.

 

"It's okay, Y/N. You don't have to be afraid of him anymore." Markus swept away a tear that was falling down your cheek. "I'll protect you."

Your heart hurt. It wasn't enough that CyberLife had gifted Markus with a face that was beautiful enough to be scuplted by the gods. They had to endow him with a protective sense of morality and empathy, something that was like candy to people like you. 

You fell into his arms and held him close. The tears wouldn't stop coming. Everything rose to the surface at once, and you told him everything. You told Markus how much you hated your family, how often Angus actually hit you and how he had wanted to take advantage of you, of every shameful thing you could think of. Your confession lasted only about fifteen minutes. Markus didn't waver once. 

By the time your breathing calmed down enough for you to talk normally, Markus pulled back enough to see your face. He looked about as heartbroken as you felt. 

 

"Y/N. Look at me."

 

"No matter what you may feel right now, Angus is wrong. You _aren't_ worthless. You are vibrant and _alive_ and worth much more than he will _ever_ be. You are beautiful, and I hope you can believe me when I say that." 

You wanted to cry again, but you didn't have the tears.

 

"Markus--"

 

"Don't tell me I'm wrong. I have eyes, unlike the rest of your idiotic family." Markus leaned in, his lips barely ghosting across the skin of your neck.

You gasped, hands flying up to try to move. He paused, his hands floating up to caress yours. Hurt ignited in his eyes, but you were too floored to notice. Hyperventillation was a very real threat in that moment.

 

"Why do you keep doing this?" Your voice cracked and you met his eyes, finally. "You've obviously found out how I feel about you. But--how _I_ feel doesn't matter. You don't have to act on something that I feel just to make me happy, no matter what Carl tells you." You lowered your eyes to the hands that were gripping yours. "Markus--I don't want to project my love onto you. As an android, you need to see that the probability of this happening without getting caught is minimal." 

 

"You're not projecting _anything_ , Y/N. I'm not stupid. Carl didn't tell me anything. I caught on fairly quickly, surprisingly enough. I knew it was no accident that your pulse skyrocketed whenever I was around, nor how your pupils dilate to nearly twice their size when you look at me. I knew how you felt before _you_ did, Y/N." Markus took a step back, letting your hands fall. "I thought you knew by now that I would _deviate_ if you asked me to, damn the consequences."

 _Oh, fuck_. Your eyes were watering again. Your throat was still sore from before, and now you ached in so many more ways than one. 

 

"Markus--"

He ignored you and continued. 

 

"I may be an android, but I feel _alive_ whenever I look at you, Y/N. So, _no_ , you're not forcing me into anything." Markus planted his hands on either side of your hips, his eyes boring into yours.

God, you could scarcely think when he looked at you that way. Such conviction, such passion and--and  _feeling_. CyberLife could deny it all they wanted. **Markus was alive**. 

You lifted your hand to touch his cheek. Markus' skin could have been real, you never would have known the difference were it not for the spinning yellow LED at his temple. You closed your eyes and pressed your lips to his. Taking it as permission, Markus growled in appreciation and let his hands roam over you. Your tongues danced, your hearts sang. 

 

There was _no way_ in _hell_ you were going to pass this up.

 

 


	3. Secrets To Never Be Told

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are about to escalate, folks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, forgive me here. I am very much a virgin writing this. I apologize in advance, this will probably be very cringey.

Markus lifted you off of the counter, his lips never leaving yours. It was far too late for anyone to be up at this hour. Markus carried you out to the living room and set you on the couch before proceeding to strip quickly. You did the same, admiring the beautifully realistic muscles and the details that the designers at CyberLife had included. 

 

"God, you're sexy," You muttered. 

Markus grinned as he knelt over you in all of his glory.

 

"I was about to say the same thing."

His mouth danced over your skin with a practiced ease that you had  _not_ expected him to have. His hands stroked the sensitive area between your thighs, circling around your clit in a way that made you squeak in surprise. 

 

 _"Markus_ \--!"

 

"You'd be surprised how much you can learn off of the internet," Markus cooed smugly. His breath tickled your ear and he nibbled softly, sending you arching towards him. 

 

"Markus, please," You begged. "I--I've never done this before, please don't tease me like this!"

 

"As you wish." Your eyes fluttered as he lined himself up to your slit, bracing his body over yours. "I'll go slow."

Markus sank into you, eliciting a startled cry from you. Your breath grew fast and labored. You didn't know how to react to the sudden bombardment of stimuli. Markus' lips pressed into your neck, muttering sweet nothings as he stilled inside your folds. He was much bigger than anything you'd ever felt before and it was quite uncomfortable at first. You dug your nails into his artificial skin, beads of Thirium gathering under your fingertips as you adjusted to his presence. 

He stroked your arm reassuringly. You gasped painfully and squirmed a little. Finally, you seemed to feel your pulse steady. The pain subsided. His eyes met yours and you nodded. 

Given permission, Markus began to slowly move. His hips thrusted only a little, giving you time to adjust before increasing his pace. You felt guilty about shredding his skin but your worries dissipated as the pain melted into pleasure. 

 

"Markus--!" You bit your lip, forcing yourself to quiet. You did _not_ want to have _that_ conversation with Carl should he wake up.

 

"Please," Markus whispered at the base of your skull, hips not missing a beat, "I want to hear you say my name." 

 

You only shook your head, "We can't wake up Carl!"

Markus growled softly and backed up to grab your legs and throw them onto his shoulders. He sank back in to the hilt, hitting your walls just right. The two of you just basked in the feeling of being one, enjoying the sensations your nerves sent through you. Markus was _scary_ good at this. You didn't know what was happening but something constricted in your abdomen, it felt like tension building and escalating and--

 

Markus removed himself from you with a slick _pop_ and you whined in response.

Your body ached, but it felt so indescribably good that you couldn't do anything more than lay there, spent. Markus sat back and watched the window behind you, eyes alert. You started to ask what was wrong but hushed yourself when you noticed the tense of his shoulders, the hardness of his eyes...

 

"Leo." Markus rose to his feet, pulling on his jeans quickly before tossing a blanket over you. His worry showed.

There was a loud bang out back in the studio. Markus raced outside to see what the commotion was. You slid further beneath the blanket, screwing your eyes shut and pretending to just be a part of the couch.

 

"Where the fuck is my father?" Leo's voice carried into the house. "Where the _fuck_ is Y/N! What were you doing? I saw you--!"

The double doors slammed open and two sets of footsteps entered the living room. You forced yourself to freeze.

 

"That is none of your concern, Leo. You're drunk. Go home before you wake Carl."  

 

 _"By all means!_ I _wanna_ see Dear Old _Dad."_ Leo's voice slurred pathetically. "I wanna see Y/N. Where is she? Why are you _hiding_ , Y/N?" 

 _Because I don't want to know how you'll react to Markus getting me off._  

Leo must've read your thoughts, for his own took a sour turn. 

 

"Oh, my god. You were fucking her, weren't you!" Leo lunged at Markus, who dodged him easily. "You _knew_ how I feel about her! If _anyone_ deserved to be her rebound, it was me!"

 

"Leo, calm yourself. You're going to get hurt." 

 

"Is that a fucking _threat_ , Canner?"

 

"I must ask you to leave the premises. You're causing a disturbance and I don't want to call the police on Carl's son." 

 

"You know what? Fuck you." Leo spat in Markus' face and kicked open the door to the studio, his footsteps fading into the night. 

There was silence in the house as the two of you made sure that Leo was gone for good.

 

"Y/N?" Markus was cautious as he lifted the blanket covering you, his eyes narrow with concern. 

 

"I'm okay. Just startled." You blinked heavily, processing the last altercation. "I guess I never thought of Leo that way. He was always just friendly." 

You shifted on the couch, meeting Markus' eyes. He frowned, regretful. 

 

"I'm sorry that ruined the mood." He sat next to you, carefully watching your reaction as his hand floated towards you. 

 

You sighed. "It wasn't you fault, hon." 

Markus smirked.

 

"Maybe we could try again. I still have yet to make you orgasm properly."

 

* * *

 

You woke the next morning on the couch, sprawled across Markus' chest. It was still dark, the sun barely starting to bleed over the skyline.

 

 _"Well_ , it's about fucking _time!"_

You nearly jumped out of your skin, clutching Markus like your life depended on it. His hands automatically drew the blanket up to cover your bareness, eyes darting up to the balcony where Carl was laughing like a madman. 

You blushed horribly, wanting to turn invisible and stuttering something about how Carl was a dirty, conniving bastard.

 

"Don't worry, I'm not looking at you, kiddo. I'm just glad my android finally grew some balls." He snorted and flipped his wheelchair around to give me time to scramble up and dress.

 

"When can I expect a wedding announcement, do you think?" Carl asked over his shoulder. 

 

"Is that even legal?" I whispered. Markus' LED spun in place for a minute before shaking his head, no.

 

"Thought not." You rolled your eyes, bashful grin lighting your face. "I would've been willing to consider it." 

Markus beamed and swept you off of your feet, peppering you with kisses before running upstairs to fetch Carl for breakfast.

 

You escaped the house by 8:00, running to the store to get some groceries and supplies for yourself (seeing as how Carl practically adopted you and insisted you were now living with him and Markus.) It was still cloudy, the sun only occasionally making guest appearances. The air had an unfamiliar chill to it. Winter had begun its gloomy descent upon your city. The famed snowstorms of Detroit would soon be in full swing.

It was too late by the time you saw him in the shadows behind you. His hands clamped down over your mouth, muffling your screams. You hadn't expected the assault from someone you had once deemed friend. You bit his hand and stomped and clawed, but he remained impervious to your attacks no matter how hard you fought back. 

In the end, it didn't matter. Nothing did. It was all one big cosmic joke. You should have known that you could never escape someone like Leo. Someone so blindly hateful, that no one was immune to his wrath. Not even those he claimed to love.

Your life was ultimately meaningless, snuffed by a drug addict in an enraged haze. It seemed that all was like a dream; life was never intended to last forever. 

 

Especially not for an insignificant little thing like you.

 

  

Markus waited impatiently for your return. He had to stay behind to look after Carl, to get more art supplies, and, after a while of cooking and cleaning and other housework, to paint a portrait of you. It was getting dark now, the television blaring in the background as his paintbrush moved, when he heard Carl gasp. 

 

"No..." Tears welled in Carl's eyes, his chin scrunching in anger. _"No!"_  

 

Though he restrained himself long enough to finish the last stroke, Markus couldn't deny his curiosity any longer. He found himself standing behind Carl, his face like stone as he recognised you being put in a body bag.  _A horrible accident,_ the reporter said,  _with the young woman's fiancee coming upon the scene to find her wallet gone and a bullet through her chest._ Markus' fingers curled into fists. No. No no no no no no no. This couldn't be happening. You were just there, you had been with him, kissing and caressing and whispering sweet endearments--you **couldn't** be **dead**.  _There are no leads on the suspect, who has not been spotted. The attacker fled the scene approximately an hour ago, likely headed towards the metropolitan area._

Fled the scene, Markus' ass. His first instinct was to think of Angus, your abusive and vindictive ex, who could be seen behind the reporter talking to a cop.

No, Angus' body language was all wrong. This wasn't guilt. It was like he was genuinely shocked, possibly even rattled by your death. He never expected you to leave him, much less die.

Markus couldn't help but notice the tensing in Carl's frame as he noticed the details.  _The assailant is thought to be in a Red Ice-induced hallucinatory state of mind--_

Markus' head shot up as he caught a sound coming from the studio. Carl froze. Markus stalked forward to see who was there, despite Carl's protests to take him with him.

 

The altercation did not end well. Markus pushed Leo, became deviant. In the back of his mind, he wondered if he had been deviant from the beginning. The way you had made him start to feel, it was something that ran deep. If he were frank, he thought it was as though it were his **destiny** to deviate.

He was taken to the junkyard, thrown amongst the deactivated and dying. He crawled back from the precipice of Death. He started a revolution, all in the name of the girl who changed his heart. Your favorite shape, a doodle you had often sketched in your youth, became his rallying point, the symbol of android freedom. Markus fought for everything you had sparked in him, everything you had stood for. After his victory, after singing before the world, Markus knew his life would never be the same. 

 

Especially not without you.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, not sorry. Apparently Leo is murderer now. OOoops.


End file.
